Conglommora

Humanity’s last refuge is a distant space station, cobbled together from ships that escaped a dying Earth only to forge a new society in the depths of interstellar space. Welcome to Conglommora, a sprawling maze of different environs, cultures, and habitats, all coexisting peacefully. But when a new ship docks with Conglommora, carrying a lone survivor from Earth, it sets off a chain of events that will leave Conglommora and humanity forever changed.

I’m torn on how to review this book because 90% of the novel is an intriguing exploration of humanity’s best and worst, from its scientific achievements to its politics. The protagonist’s journey through Conglommora is beautiful, engaging the reader while leaving the character absolutely gobsmacked. It’s very effective storytelling.

But the remaining 10% of the novel is spoiled by questionable character choices and an 11th-hour twist so hamfisted in its cliched nature that you can see it coming from light-years away. A great deal of good storytelling and potential is wasted, and honestly, reader interest in any follow-ups is squandered.

Conglommora has many strengths, but they fail to outweigh its weaknesses.